Saying Goodbye to the House

I have to be honest...It has been hard to say goodbye to our old home.  I have vivid memories of finding that apartment thanks to our friend and colleague, Dan.  It was the first place that we painted walls and really got settled.  It was the longest place that we have lived since we have been married (maybe ever for Anthony).  It was there that I found out I was pregnant and where we brought our babies home from the hospital to.  It was there that our babies learned to crawl, walk, run, talk...

Since we had two weeks to move, we had been going back and forth between houses quite a bit.  I noticed that Masami was having a bit of trouble with the transition (as was I!).  He was having a lot of trouble going to sleep at night and taking a bath at the new place.  As I was talking with some friends about it, they suggested that I take the kids over to say "goodbye" officially to help them understand it better.  And I got to thinking about how that was a really good idea (for me as much as them).

So, once we were fully moved out, we took the kids over and read them a book about moving and saying goodbye.  Then we built an Ebenezer of sorts with pine-cones that the kids had collected from the yard, remembering things we liked about our house and thanking God for our time there.  It was as reflective as a 2 and 4 year old can be, which is to say not very.  However, it was a sweet time together and I think it has helped.